Lightning-arrester.



E. E. F. GREIGHTON.

LIGHTNING ABRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYB, 19091 982,224. Patented Jan. 17,1911.

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E. B. F. OREIGHTON. LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYB, 1909.

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E. E. F. GREIGHTON.

LIGHTNING ARRESTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULYG, 1909.

Patented Jan. 17, 1911.

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E. E. F. GREIGHTON. LIGHTNING ARRESTER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1909.

Patented Jan 17, 1911.

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. an electrolyte and aplurality of electrodes,

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' Emma E. F. oREroHroN, or SCHENECTADY, NEW Yonx, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC comrmy, a CORPORATION, on NEW YoEK.

, LIGHTNING-ARRESTER.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Jan. 17,1911.-

Application filed I-uly 6, 1909. Serial No. 506,154.

tady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lightning-Arres'ters, of which the followlng 1s a specification.

This invention relates to devices for protecting high potential transmission systems from the 1n urious effects of lightning dis charges, and more especially to that class of such devices known as electrolytic cell arrester's.

It is now common ractice to install between a transmission line and ground lightning arresters composed of cells containing of aluminum on which has been formed a film of hydroxid, which serves to hold. back so that under ordinary conditions no current flows through the arrester cell or cells. It is found that the electrolyte is liable to weaken the film in this inactive condition, so that once in a while the circuit must be closed for a few seconds'in order to reform the film and keep it in operative condition.

As the cells are proportioned to break down at a voltage somewhat higher than the normal voltage of the transmission line, the full potential of the line must be applied to the cells in order to send enough current through them to build up the film.- On

transmission lines consisting of two or more conductors, it is customary to provide as many electrolytic cells-as there are conductors, each cell having one terminal connected to the conductor and the other ter minal connected to a common or neutral point, which in turn is connected to ground througha ground leg or cell. The cells are usually connected to the conductors of the transmission line through spark gaps and '65 merely closing the spark gaps in any suitable discharge takes place over the way will apply the full potential ofthe line and thereby build up t e film of the cells directly connected to the conductors, but will not send enough current through the ground cell to keep its film in good condition.

The object of my invention is to provide means whereby the films in all the cells may be kept in good condition, preferably by pro viding aselective control or switching mechanism by means of which any desired cell can be connected in as a ground cell, so that if the film on the ground cell becomes deteriorated, the operator can at will select some other cell in which the film is in good condition and connect it 'in as the ground cell, while the cell which has previously been used as a ground cell and in which the film has deteriorated is connected to the line, so that by suitable transposition and interchange of the cells the films in all of the cells may be kept in good condition.

A further object of my invention is provide mechanical means for automatically closing the circuit to charge the cellsfsand build up the films, preferably by meansof switches for closing the spark gaps and a motor for actuating the switches at prede- I cells.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation-of a lightning arrester for a three-phase circuit embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the spark gaps, showing the switches closed; Fig. 4 is an end elevation; Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line 55, Fig. 1, showing one of the horns of a spark gap thrown back; Fig. 6 is a top plan view ,of the motor on a larger scale; Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modification; Fig. 8 1s a partial end view of the same, and Fig. 9 shows a further modification.

In the system illustrated, each leg of the three-phase line is connected through a spark gap with a suitable number of aluminum cells arranged in series and inclosed in a tank filled with oil. The three tanks are series of aluminum cells.

connected in Y and from the neutral point of the connection a ground leg is provided, which includes a fourth tank containing a Inasmuch as the periodic closing of the circuit through the line tanks would not affect the tank in the ground leg, it is necessary to provide for substituting this tank for one of the line tanks at intervals to insure maintaining the film therein. The apparatus shown in Sheets 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings is designed to accomplish these results.

The frame is composed preferably ofmetallic rods or pipes and couplings and comprises two horizontal parallel side bars 1 connected by cross bars 2, and supported on standards 3. On three of the cross bars are mounted two insulators 4 of any approved type, each of which carries one of a pair of horns 5 6, forming a spark gap of well known design. The horn 5 of each pair is hinged to its support, so that it can be thrown back, as shown in Fig. 5, when it is desired to open the leg in which such spark gap is included. A lead 7 from each of the line conductors is connected with its respective spark gap, being connected to the horn 6 thereof. The other horn of the spark gaps wand b is respectively connected to the set of aluminum cells in its respective tank 8 8 by means of the lead 9. The third spark gap 0 has its horn 5 carried on a support to which is secured a stout arm 10 having a horizontal portion extending laterally above the adjacent bar 1 of the frame. Below this arm an upright lever 11 is fulcrumed, carrying an insulator 12 to which issecured a flexible finger 13 adapted to make good contact with the arm when the lever is upright, as shown in Fig. 1. The lead 9 from the tank 8 is connected to this finger, so that the spark gap 0 is thus normally connected with its respective arrester.

The bottom plate in each arrester is electrically connected with its tank, and the three tanks areall connected by the strip 14. A fourth arrester 15 is also connected with the others, preferably by the same strip, and all the arresters are supported on a table 16, standing on insulators 17. The tier of cells .in the arrester 15 is connected by a lead 18 with a flexible conducting strip 19 secured at one end to an insulator 20 mounted on one of the bars of the frame. When the film on the ground cell 15 deteriorates, this arrester may be connected directly to line and the arrester 8 connected in as the ground cell by means of any suitable selective mechanism or switch, such as that shown in the drawings, in which, adjacent to the insulator 20 and between it and the spark gap 0 an upright lever 21 is fulcrumed on a horizontal transverse pivot and carries an insulator 22, to which is secured a flexible finger 23, which normally makes contact with a horizontal portionof an upright 24 secured to the frame 1. The frame 1s grounded, so that this construction puts' the arrester 15 in a ground leg so long as the parts remain in their normal position, as shown in Fig. 1. An upright 25 is secured to the frame adjacent to the spark gap c, but on the other side thereof from the upright 24.. When the two levers 11 and 21 are rocked tothe position shown in Fig. 3, so that the finger 23 makes contact with the arm 10 and the finger 13 touches the upright 25, the. arrester 15 will be in circuit with the s ark gap 0 and the arrester 8 will be ground ed, thus reversing the connections of the two arresters from those shown in Fig. 1. This changed condition of affairs is shown in Fig. 3.

In order to keep the films in the cells in good condition'some suitable current controlling means is provided, by means of which current can be passed through the cells. In order to cause a suflicient amount of current to flow through the cells, the full potential of the line must be impressed upon them, and while various forms of circuit controlling devices for impressing the line potential upon the cells may be used, the preferred form is that shown in the drawings, in which, bet-ween the insulators 4 on each cross bar there is fulcrumed an upright lever 26 carrying an insulator 27, on which is secured a wiper 28 adapted to pass between the roots of the horns when said lever is vibrated. Such passage of the wiper operates to practically close the spark ga and permit a flow of line current throug1 the arrester in circuit therewith. By periodically oscillating these wipers the films will be re-formed; and if at every alternate reforming the connections of the arresters 8 and 15 are reversed, as described, the film of the arrester in the'ground leg will be kept in good condition, also. I may actuate these levers 11, 21 and 26 by hand, but I refer to effect this actuation automatical y by means of a small electric motor 29, pref erably mounted on a base plate 30 at one end of the frame, and driving a worm gear 31 secured to a shaft 32 journaled in transverse bearings 33 on the standards 3. Midway of this shaft is a crank 34 having a wrist pin 35 adjustable in slots in said crank so as to vary the effective throw of the crank. A cord 36 is connected with the wrist pin 35 and runs' up over a pulley 37 on the end of the frame to the nearest upright lever 26, which in turn is connected by the cords or links 38 with the other levers 26, so that when the crank 34rotates downwardly it will pull the levers into the position shown in Fig. 3 and thus cause the wipers 28 to pass between the horns of the spa k gaps. The wipers reach this position when the crank 34 has made a quarter revolution from the upper center at which it is shown in Fig. 1. During the next quarter revoagain pass between them. Thus for every complete revolution of the crank 34 the wipers will close the ground circuit through the arresters two times.

The rocking members, such as the lever 21 and lever 26, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5, are prevented from moving along the pipe supports on which they are mounted by clips 39, which pass through the pipe supports on each side of the rocking'members. These clips also act as stops for the rocking members.

At one end of the shaft 32 is another crank 40 set a quarter revolution behind the crank 34 and having an adjustable. pin to which is attached a cord 41 running over a pulley42 on the end of the frame to the l lower end of the lever 21, which in turn is connected by a cord or link 43 with the lever of vibration.

11. During the upper half revolution of this crank 40 the cord 41 is slacked and roduces no effect upon the levers 21 11; ut when said crank reaches the'first quarter in its downward movement away from the uptrip the catches 57 successively to connect the line cells one after the other between line and ground in series with the ground cell, the lugs 59 being set progressively per dead center, it begins to pull on the cord and by the time said crank arrives at the lower dead center it will have pulled the levers 21 11 over into the position shown in Fig. 3, whereby a reversal of the connections of the arresters'8 15 is effected. as described above. wipers are returning through the spark gaps, the crank 34 being at the third quarter. On the next passage of the wipers, the crank -40 is passing through its upper'half revolution, and, therefore, at this passage of the wipers through the gaps the levers 21 11 are not actuated and the connections of the arresters are not reversed. It thus appears that the mechanism described will automatically close the spark gaps at regular intervals, and that at every alternate closure the connections of the last two arresters will be reversed to effect a building up'of the film in the ground leg arrester. Inasmuch as this closing of the gaps needs to be done only once or twice a day, the electric motor may be conveniently controlled by a timeswitch operating to turn the current on at predetermined intervals, and the motor can be stopped at the end of an exact revolution by means of a suitable limit switch 44, con"- trolled by a tapper 45 on the shaft of the .motor.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 7 and 8, one of the horns of each spark gap is This occurs at the instant that the carried on an upright rotatable shaft 46, which is provided with a. spring 47, by means of which the horn 48 is kept normally turned away from proximity to the other horn 49. The shaft is provided also with a rock arm 50 adapted to be acted on by a cam 51 on a shaft 52 capable of being rotated by suitable means, such as the motor 53. The cam causes the horn 48 to approach the horn 49 until they stand in line, as

shown in Fig.7, at which time the spacebetween them is such, by previous calculation, as to permit a spark to pass and the circuit to be momentarily closed through the arresters. Vhen the cam passes the rock arm, the spring throws the horn back to its normal position in which the spark gap is too great for the line current to jump it.

In Fig. 9, a modified actuating mechanism is shown, which may be substituted for the cam shaft shown in Fig. -7. The rock arms 50 are each connected by two opposed springs 54 with a bar 55 which can hereciprocated by a crank 56. The drawing shows the crank 56 standing at anjangle with theplane of the paper, andthe bar 55 moving toward the right. Catches 57 58 hold the rock arms at each end of their arc the movement of said bar. The lugs 59 along the bar, as shown; while the lugs 60 trip the catches 58 simultaneously to connect all the line cells in parallel to the neutral and thence to ground through the ground cell. The instant a catch is tripped, its rock arm will be snapped over to its other position by the spring undertension, 'where it will be automatically caught and On the bar are lugs 59 and 6 0 which trip the catches as the bar re- :ciprocates, and after the springs (one or the other) have been put under tension by held by the other catch. During this movement,.the horn'on the insulator carried by the upright shaft on which the rock arm is secured will pass swiftly by the stationary horn of the pair, and the circuit will be momentarily closed. v

lVhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, if-' 1. The combination with a plurality of conductors, of a plurality of electrolytic condensers with their corresponding terminals electrically connected, and a selective control mechanism whereby at will part of the other terminals of said condensers may be connected to ground and the remainder to said conductors.

2. The combinationlwith a plurality of' conductors, of a plurality of electrolytic condensers having their correspondingterminals electrically connected, and. a

switching mechanism cooperating with the other terminals of said condensers to connect at will any one of said condensers to ground and the remainder of said con- 5 densers torsaid conductors.

3. The combination with the conductors of a polyphase system, of electrolytic condensers exceeding said conductors in numher by one and having their corresponding terminals electrically connected, and selective controlling mechanism for the other terminals of said condensers whereby said conductors may be connected at will to selected condensers and the remaining condenser connected to ground.

'4. The combination withtwo electrolyti condensers having their corresponding terminals electrically connected, of means cooperating with the other terminals of said condensers whereby either of said other terminals may be connected to ground, at will.

5. The combination with a three phase system having three conductors, of four electrolytic condensers with corresponding terminals electrically connected and the other terminals of two of said condensers directly connected to two of said conductors, and means whereby either of the remaining two condensers may be connected to 0 ground and the other connected to the third conductor.

6Q The combination with an electrolytic lightning arrester, of a horn spark gap in series therewith, a lever in line with said gap, a wiper insulatedfrom said-lever and adapted to pass through said spark gap, and means for periodically causing it so to do.

7. The combination with a frame, of a plurality of horn spark gaps mounted thereon, levers pivotally supported on said frame and each adjacent to its respective spark gap, a wiper carried by each lever and adapted to pass between the horns of the spark gap, and means for periodically and simultaneously actuating said levers.

8. The combination of a frame having side bars and cross bars, pairs of insulators supported on said frame, arc-extinguishing horns supported on said insulators, levers pivotallymounted on said cross bars between said insulators, an insulator on each lever, a wiper supported thereon and ada ted to pass between said horns, and means or simultaneously actuating said levers.

9. The combination with a polyphase transmission line, of an electrolytic lightning arrester between' each line conductor and a neutral point, a spark gap in series with each lightning arrester, an electrolytic arrester connected between the neutral point and ground, means for periodically closing the circuit through the line arresters, and means for occasionally transposing, the connections of the ground leg arrester and one of the line arresters.

10. The combination with a poly hase transmission line, of an electrolytic ig'htning arrester between each line conductor and a neutral point, an arrester between said neutral pointand ground, horn spark gaps for said line arresters, two levers adjacent to one of said gaps, one connected with one of the line arresters and the other with the ground leg arrester, and means for placing either one of said levers in circuit with sai horn.

11. The combination with a frame, of insulated spark gaps supported thereon, up rightsad acent to one of said gaps, electro' lytic lightning arresters in series with said spark gaps, a lever pivoted on said frame adjacent to one of said spark gaps and normally in circuit therewith but adapted to make contact with one of said uprights when tilted, another lever pivoted on the frame and carrying an insulated finger in contact with the other upright, a ground leg arrester connected with the neutral point of connection of the line arresters and with said finger, and means for tilting said levers to cause said finger to be'placed in circuit with said spark gap.

12. The combination with a frame, of insulators arranged thereon in pairs, spark gap horns mounted on said insulators, one being provided with an upright arm, uprights erected on said frame on each side of the aforesaid arm, levers pivoted on the frame adjacent to the spark gap and one of said uprights, insulated fingers on said levers adapted to bear normally against one-of said uprights and saidarm, means for tilting said levers to cause the finger bearing against the arm to make contact withthe other upright and the finger bearing a inst the upright to make contact with sai arm," and electrolytic lightnin arresters in circuit with said spark gaps an lever fingers.

13. The combination with a frame, of spark gaps thereon, .wipers adapted to pass between said gaps, electrolytic lightnin arresters in series with said gaps, a ground leg provided with a lightnin arrester, leversfor transposing the circuit connections of saidground leg and one of the line arresters, 115 and a crank shaft for actuating-said wipers and levers.

14.. The combination with electrolytic lightning arresters, of spark ga s in series therewith, a ground leg provi ed with a 1 lightning arrester, wipers adapted to pass through said spark gaps, levers for transposing the circuit connections of one of the line arresters and the ground leg arrester, and means for actuating said levers at every 125 alternate passage of the wipers through the aps.

g 15. A protective device comprising electrolytic cells connected to a common neutral, an electrolytic cell connected between said 130 neutral andground to form a ground cell,

circuit controlling means for passing current through said cells, switching mechanism for transposing the circuit connections of said ground cell and one of said line cells,

and means for rendering the operation of said circuit controlling means and said switching mechanism interdependent.

16. A protective device comprising a plurality of electrolytic cells connected to line and to a neutral, a ground cell connected between said neutral and ground, switching mechanism for 'transposing the, circuit connections of said ground cellandr one of said line cells, circuit controllingmeans for passing current through said cellsfand" connections whereby after a predetermined number of operations of said circuit controlling means said switch mechanism isautomati cally operated.

17. The combination with the conductors of a transmission system, of a plurality oi line electrolytic cells connected to said conductors through spark gaps and connected 7 to a neutral, a ground cell between said neutral and ground, conducting members mounted to bridge said spark gaps when actuated and thereby permit current to flow through said cells, switching mechanism for transposing the connections of said ground cell and oneof said other cells, and means for actuating said conducting members and said switching mechanism in definite sequence. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand thisQnd day of July, 1909.

ELMER E. F: OREIGHTON. Witnesses? r BENJAMIN B. HULL, HELEN ORFORD. a 

